Automatic adjustable chair.



T. m. MCKEE & s. B..SAFFELL.I

Patented Aug. I2. I902.

AUTOMATIC ADJUSTABLE CHAIR.

(No Model.)

. I H WITNESSES." 5 MW.

qApplicabion filed Sept. 30, 1901.)

INVENTORS; 1. M. MK

e efl 6. 5.80%"6672,

ATTORNEY.

rr rn "rates Persist THOMAS M. MOKEE AND SILAS B. SAFFELL, OFINDIANAPOLlS, INDIANA, ASSIGNORS TO NATIONAL ADJUSTABLE CHAIR COMPANY, ()F GREEN- Flhll'd), INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF lhUDllANA.v

AUTOMATBQ ADJUSTABLE GE-Mm SPEGIFECATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 706,991, dated August 12, 190E.

Application filed September 30, 1901.

.10 all. iuho'nt it mmyconocrm Be it known that we, THOMAS M; MCKEE and Stone B. SAFFELL, citizens of the United States; residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and Stateof Indiana, have inv ented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Adjustable Chairs; and We do declare the'following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make'and use the same, referencebeinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of'reference marked thereon, Which'form a part of this specification.

' Our invention relates'to a chair that is .designed to be used in either upright or reclining positions, the object ofthe invention being to provide a chair of this character which may be quickly adjusted to any. of the various positions within its range and at the same time be free from complicated and expensive attachmcnts that might require skill in the operation thereof, a further object be: ing to provide an automatic adjustable chair that may be cheaply producedand be durable and economical in use.

The invention consists in a gravity-operatcd seat-frame in oving horizontally and vertically and a pivoted chair-back hinged to and supporting the rear part of the seatframe; and the invention consists of the novel parts and the combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafterparticularly described and claimed. 1

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a chair embodying our invention, showing cushions thereon and in an upright position; Fig. 2,'a front elevation, the cushions being omitted; Fig. 3, a rear elevation; Fig. 41, a fragmentarytransverse vertical sectional view looking forwardly, showing the forward portion of the seat-frame in the main frame; Fig. 5, a longitudinal vertical sectional view showing the back in a reclining position and the manner in which the rear part of the seat-frame is supported on pivots; Fig. 6, a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view of the mainframe,

Serial No. 7'7.( )39. (No model.)

and Fig. 7 a fragmentary side elevation of the seat and back frames.

Similar reference characters in the ent figures of the drawings indicate like parts. 1

In carrying out our invention practically wehave constructed the chairs substantially diifer- Thenect the forward legs with the rear legs, and

transverse rails D D connect the right side legs with the left side legs. Arm-rests E E are secured to the upper ends of the legs and extend rearwardly beyond the, rearlegs. The seat-frame is constructed separately and then mounted in the main frame, and. it comprises sides FF and ends G G, connected rigidly together, the end G preferably extending below the sides as an apron to screen the opening above the rail D when the seat is elevated. The forward part of the seatframe is supported and also elevated and .de-' pressed by means of blocks H, havingeach an inclined smoothupperfaceh secured to the side rails C C, a block to each rail near the forward end thereof, the, most elevated parts of the faces being for ward of the lower parts thereof and near the forward legs A A, and by means of blocks I, each having an inclined smooth lower face 1;, secured to the sides F F of the seat-frame, a block to each side near the forwardend thereof, the more elevated parts of the faces being forward of the lower parts thereof, the faces 11 being deto rest thereon at proper times. These faces may be lubricated when composed o wood or similar material by Well-known means, It

is obvious, however, that rollers may be sub- 'stituted for the blocks Ito-operate upon the faces h. The seat-frame is suitably recessed to receive the cushion a, and, if desired,

, cross-slatsor a floor may be provided for supable form of pivot being'ejmployed. Hingesg M connect the end G of the seat-frame to the-end K ofthe back-frame, orsuitable piv rising and falling motion ofthelowerpart otsnmay be substituted 'for the ,hinges used. herein demonstrativelyrather than arbitrarily. Spring-c'lasps N are' secur'ed to the end K for supporting the lower'end of the cush- 3 ,1t-will beseenthat inasmuchas the'baek-.- frameis pivoted to the upper portionsof the;

rear legs the; back may rock forwardly: and backwardly, and asth'e rear part of the seatframe is pivpted totheiback fram'e the seatof the back-frame ,"and asthe forward part of'th'e seat frarne is supported upon inclined surfaces it also must rise and .fall as well as move forwardly and backwardly.- v j r In-practical-use one may sit, upon the seat and the weight of the person will cause the seat to gravitate to-"its low'est permissible level. If now the person lean against the back and employ the upper port-ion thereof as a levenwhich it'isjdesigned to be, by

means of the p'erson"s shoulders the chairback'may be pushed .back to any-desired 'angle in controllable graduations and cause the,

' seat to be elevated and to-also move forward, thereby retaining the use of the full area of the cushion-surface. The arms of'the 'por son may rest upon we arm-rests'E E- in controlling the movements, and

regaining an upright posture.

Havingth us described our invention, what we claim asnew iS- particularly in framemust'rise andifaIl at its'rear-with'the "andjth'e seat to rise.

.inclined'ways.

'1. Anautomatically-adjusta ie chair com- .prising a mainframe provided with inclined supports having smooth surfaces, a seatframe having the forward part thereof supported on'the inclined supports, a back. piv

oted'to the rear part of the seat-frame and thereby supporting the same, and pivots connecting the back to the main frame and therebyksupporting the back and the rear part of the seat fi ame, whereby the seatmay be employed as a gravity .'-force inoperating the back and the. back may be employed as a lever in operating the seat-frame. I

2.1In 'anadjustable chair,fa main frame,a

back pivoted near its lower end to the main frame, a seat-frame pivoted at its'rear part tothelower end of the-back, inclined'supporting members attached to the main frame .near the forward parts thereof. and supporti-ng the forward part of'the seat-frame, where- :by the forward part of the seat may be caused to rise and fallandalso to'move longitudinally in unison with the rear part thereof.

'3.,,In an adjustable chair, the combination of the main frame provided with the blocks having the inclinedupperfaces, the pivots connected to theupper portions of the rear logs, the back connected to said pivots above the lower end thereof, theseat-frame having:

the forward endthereof'mounted on said bl'ocks',- d11he, pivots connecting the lower end of the'back to the rear part of the'seatframe,'i whereby an operatorsittin'g on the seat may automatically cause the seat to recede and the back to rise, and also by leaning 4, In an adjustable chair, the combination against the back causethe same .to reoede of" the" main. frame, the backpivoted to the rear legs ot'themain frame, theseat pivoted to the back, the inclined ways at the front tached to the seat-frame and bearing on said In testimony whereof we afhx our signatu'res'in presence oftwo witnesses.

THOMAS M.- MCKEE. v SILAS B. SAFFELL.

Witnesses:

WM. 1 1. PAYNE, E. 'l.,S1LvIUs.

part of the main frame, and the block s at- 

